Chapter 49
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: Aftermath (3)
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"You said it so boldly before. Why don't you declare it just as confidently in front of me, Evan."
"……."
"Your words are grand, but in the end, you just want all three of us. ……What on earth should I do with this shameless, greedy man."
Adding those words in a voice chilled to the bone, Lete slowly walked toward me.
I reflexively stepped back, but unfortunately, my retreat was blocked. Eliya was trembling and clutching my collar while pushing my back.
"……Let go, Eliya."
I urgently shot her a glance, but it was meaningless. Her face already pale with terror, she seemed not to hear me at all.
"S-S-Spare me. Please let me live, Evan."
"You should be worrying about your own neck first……?"
Eliya Ruben, clinging to me like a leech, trying to use me as a shield.
I glared at her in disbelief. Just moments ago, she'd smiled bitterly as if she'd take all the blame herself, and now she was trying to bolt.
Of course, I had no intention of shoving all the responsibility onto Eliya, but seeing her hide behind me like this was utterly infuriating.
"……Hmph."
The moment I grabbed her twin tails and yanked them.
A sudden, meaningful hum made both Eliya and me freeze.
Straight ahead, those blue eyes, sharp as a winter gale, fixed on us intently.
"Having fun? Evan. Eliya."
"……."
"……."
We both clamped our mouths shut. We exchanged a quick glance, then gauged the mood and wisely sealed our lips in a penitent manner.
But even that seemed to irk Lete. Watching our perfectly synced reactions, her facial muscles twitched.
"Look at this. Like a pair of lovers. Oh my, is that really it? Is it?"
"……N-No mistake, Lete."
Lete's eyes gradually lost their light, evoking a horror film.
Even I, somewhat accustomed to her wrath, felt it keenly—what about Eliya?
With a pitiful whimper, she frantically shook her head at Lete.
"I-I really didn't mean to butt in. I swear! Last time, I even counseled Evan about your issues. I wouldn't do something like that. Right?"
"……Hmm."
Lete elegantly crossed her arms and tilted her head slightly to the side.
Her eyes, as if ready to bury someone, soon shifted to me.
"So, Miss Eliya's saying that Evan assaulted you unilaterally?"
"……Lete?"
No, how did it twist like that? I shook my head emphatically in denial, but Lete ignored me completely and focused back on Eliya.
Her stance was clear: better to hear it straight from Eliya than from me, fresh off a night with her.
I turned to Eliya in desperation. Under Lete's silent pressure, she couldn't speak, so I pleaded with my eyes alone.
You wouldn't really sacrifice me, would you?
No way, right?
"Ah……. Uh, um……."
Caught between my desperate gaze and Lete's icy intimidation, Eliya let out a small groan.
Having spent the night together, I could somewhat read her expression.
It was conflict. She was seriously considering throwing me under the bus to save herself, but couldn't quite do it.
The problem was that the longer the silence stretched, the colder Lete's smile grew.
Suddenly, she'd closed to within an arm's length and pinched my side. Her nails dug in, making it quite painful.
Eliya visibly shrank, shoulders hunching, fearing she'd end up the same.
Ignoring her, Lete roughly grabbed my earlobe and whispered.
"……We'll settle this later, you mutt."
"……."
And so Evan Lane had been demoted from 'bastard' to 'mutt'.
I meekly clasped my hands together, and Lete snorted, stepping back a pace.
Turning to Eliya, her face now bloomed with a full smile.
"Ahaha, why so tense? Miss Eliya. Did I scare you too much?"
"……Uh, yeah?"
"Just kidding, kidding. Yes, I believe Miss Eliya knows her place."
She patted Eliya's shoulder familiarly and added nonchalantly.
"So…… Miss Eliya wouldn't steal her friend's man, right?"
"……."
"……He's mine. The one I set my sights on first, my future husband."
Her voice was perfectly even, yet for some reason, an inexplicable chill emanated from that utterly plain tone.
Chills prickled my arms, and Eliya shuddered too. A tiny hiccup was the natural follow-up.
Soon, Lete embraced her same-sex friend with a genuinely gentle smile.
"I don't want to fight with you, Miss Eliya. One fox is more than enough for me."
The 'fox' here must mean Israfeel…… My mind grew complicated in various ways, but I chose to stay quiet for now.
Lete then pulled Eliya a bit farther away and exchanged a few more words.
Their voices were so soft, even straining my ears, I couldn't catch them. After about thirty seconds of scratching my cheek uneasily.
"……Right? So shall we agree on that?"
"Y-Yeah."
They'd apparently found common ground. Lete with a satisfied smile, Eliya with a relieved one, they returned to me.
"……."
"……."
For a moment, the three of us exchanged inscrutable glances.
Lete broke the silence first.
"Well then, let's go. Evan."
"Uh……."
She casually took my hand. Her soft palm overlapped mine, transmitting faint warmth.
She even laced our fingers.
I hesitated in slight surprise, and Lete glanced back with a cynical mutter.
"Your girlfriend right now is me. Don't forget."
"……."
Apparently, that 'breakup declaration' had been naturally revoked without my knowledge.
I was a bit dazed by it, but noticing the faint tremor in Lete's eyes as she looked at me after speaking.
"Never forgot."
"……!"
I replied flatly and pulled her hand in reverse, gripping it tight.
Lete glitched awkwardly, her white face flushing hot—but it suited her, making a pretty picture.
I added softly.
"Sorry for making you anxious."
"……What?"
Lete snapped to her senses a beat late. After fidgeting with her lips, she glared fiercely and smacked my shoulder. Thwack!
"……Why do you assume I'm some anxious girl on your whim? I'm not worried you'd get close to Lady Israfeel or Miss Eliya, get bored of me, and toss me aside without a care."
"?"
"Hmph, think whatever you want. I'm not that impatient. If you feel like hanging out with Miss Eliya sometimes, go ahead."
I eyed Lete oddly without responding, but she haughtily smoothed her bangs regardless.
How was I supposed to react to that?
No clever idea came to mind. Resigned, I gripped her hand tighter and whispered low.
"I love you, Lete."
That one line packed a punch. No tremor in our clasped hands, but a sidelong glance told the tale clearly.
"Hic."
Lete's face turned beet red like a ripe persimmon about to burst, her steps matching mine jerking robotically.
As I twitched a smirk to tease her reaction.
"……What about Lady Israfeel, then?"
Lete countered with masterful deflection. Despite her shyness, she seemed eager for deeper affection, but the rebound hit hard.
"……."
Evan Lane was stunned!
Lete's gaze chilled instantly.
"Hey."
"……."
"Not answering?"
She crushed my right hand with vise-like force. Sweating bullets, I reluctantly answered.
"I like Israfeel too."
"And Eliya?"
"I like Eliya too……."
"……Just die."
*****
With their usual bickering banter, Evan and Lete headed to the first-floor plaza together.
And the girl left behind had to watch their retreating figures forlornly.
"Mm……! Mmm."
Eliya, suddenly alone.
She gained a fresh realization now that the man who'd been arm-in-arm with her was gone.
'This is exactly how a concubine gets treated…….'
It felt like a glimpse of her future.
Caring for Evan and Lete's children, supporting the couple, and occasionally receiving his gracious seed as their concubine when he visited.
Abandoned out of nowhere, but Eliya silently stroked her flushed cheeks.
The despair and frustration, humiliation and shame of her beloved having a steadfast wife.
That wife prioritized over her, treating her like dirt, yet occasionally sneaking in to whisper sweet affections as her lover.
'I'm wet…….'
Eliya Ruben somehow didn't find that future so bad.